1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention, generally, relate to database systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for restoring a table in a database.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Structured Query Language (SQL) is commonly used to process and store data in a database (e.g., a relational database). Numerous versions or extensions of SQL are available, such as Transact-SQL (T-SQL). Various types of SQL commands (e.g., insert, delete, update and the like) are used to interact with a management system of the database. Such SQL commands may be embedded within a program and executed as needed. For example, an Application Programming Interface (API) comprising functions and objects implemented in SQL, including T-SQL, are utilized to operate and control the database.
The database comprises one or more tables where each table includes one or more rows of table data. Occasionally, a user of a database may accidentally lose, delete or incorrectly modify a single table in the database. In other instances, the single table is lost due to a minor flaw or error within the database. In either case, the single table must be efficiently restored in order to prevent delays and/or decreases in productivity of the user.
Currently, restoring the single table from the database is an inefficient and cumbersome process because the entire database must be restored before the single table can be restored. Additionally, the restoration process is initiated after the user informs the database administrator that the single table has been accidentally deleted, lost or modified incorrectly. Before the re-insertion process can be executed, the database administrator must create a program that locates, strips and formats all of the table data in a backup image. At this point, the program generates a restore script using Transact-SQL (T-SQL) insert commands to restore the table data from the single table. The restore script uses the T-SQL insert command to reinsert the table data into the database row-by-row.
Accordingly, the generation of the restore script for the single table is reactive but not proactive. In other words, the database administrator must wait for the user to request restoration of the single table before generating the restore script. Overall, a considerable amount of time and resources is used to generate the restore script after the request from the user.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for efficiently restoring a table in a database.